In a conventional parking assist system, a camera attached to a rear end of a vehicle takes an image of a rear field view from the vehicle. The rear field view image is displayed to a vehicle operator of the vehicle. When a vehicle operator is backing up the vehicle, as when backing into a parking space or attempting to attach a trailer to the vehicle, the parking assist system superimposes an overlay of locus lines onto the image in accordance with a steering angle of the steering wheel in order to identify a target, such as the parking spot or the trailer, for the vehicle operator. Some systems use two sets of locus lines. A first set is static. The static locus lines remain in the image to help a vehicle operator of a vehicle understand the actual vehicle position once the vehicle is moving. A second of locus lines set is dynamic. The dynamic locus lines move according to wheel position and help the vehicle operator understand the path and direction of the vehicle.
The dynamic locus lines may move according to the steering wheel position and help the vehicle operator understand the actual vehicle position once the vehicle is moving. However, the vehicle operator does not know when the correct park position has been reached just by looking at the locus lines. Furthermore, the two sets of locus lines, static and dynamic, may introduce confusion as to which set of lines the vehicle operator should follow.
There is a need for a parking assist system that displays an overlay with locus lines of varying intensity. Adjusting the intensity of the locus lines at certain wheel angles aids the vehicle operator in realizing the actual vehicle path in relation to the target vehicle path.